Determining the worth of a 1470 SAT score

Hey y'all! Just got my SAT scores recently, and ended up with a 1470. Honestly, I'm not sure where this puts me. Any thoughts on whether it's a good score or what sort of tier of colleges might be a good match for someone with a 1470 SAT?

Your 1470 SAT score is indeed quite impressive, placing you in a competitive range for many colleges. The score is well above the national average, which hovers around 1000, so you're in great shape! Furthermore, a score of 1470 ranks in approximately the 97th percentile of all test-takers, which means you did better than about 97 percent of everyone who took the test.

As for where this score might fit in, colleges' "tiers" are somewhat subjective and depend on various factors, but below are a few examples of where your SAT score could be competitive:

1. Selective Public Universities: Schools like the University of Michigan, University of Virginia, and Georgia Tech would view a 1470 as a strong score. It's right around their middle 50% range, meaning half of admitted students scored within this range.

2. Competitive Private Universities: At institutions like Vanderbilt or Northwestern, a 1470 lies toward the lower end of their middle 50% range. That said, don’t be disheartened. While SAT scores are an important part of your application, they're just one component and these schools review applications holistically.

3. Highly Selective Institutions: For schools like Harvard, Stanford, or MIT, a 1470 would be on the lower end of accepted students, but you can still apply! Remember, these colleges consider many aspects beyond just the SAT score.

Remember, the SAT is only one part of your application. Other factors like your personal essays, extracurricular activities, recommendation letters, and GPA, among other things, are also key components that colleges consider in their admission decisions. Be sure to focus on these parts of your application as well, to present a well-rounded application to colleges. Good luck!